staunch
firmly loyal and committed
Word origin: From Old French estanche, watertight or firm.
Using “staunch” well
Staunch as an adjective means firmly loyal and committed, as in a staunch ally. As a verb (sometimes spelled stanch) it means to stop a flow, especially of blood, so let context distinguish them.
More GRE words starting with S
to deliberately damage or obstruct something, especially in secret
an intensely sweet, calorie-free artificial sweetener
excessively sweet or sentimental in a cloying way
regarded as too important or sacred to be altered or criticized
having keen practical judgment and discernment
soundness of judgment and acuteness of discernment
most noticeable or important; standing out prominently
of a sickly yellowish or pale complexion
Questions about “staunch”
Learn words the way the GRE tests them.
Vocabulary sticks when you meet it in real sentences. Practise these words inside text completion and sentence equivalence questions.